We decided early enough to ensure that our product take benefit of options available in the Open source world. As a result, we offer that choice of being able to deploy the reports applications on any Java Application Server.
We evaluated a few choices, but many did not meet the benchmark. For eg. One such tool needed grouped reports to be re-created as sub-reports.
Only BIRT provide us the base features and more when it came to features like Queries, Groups, Ad-Hoc, Business Intelligence reports, Dash boards, scheduling, Charting, Bar-Codes BIRT allows us that freedom, without breaking our backs or bank
More Importantly: Provide 1 Reporting environment to consider for all reports including Static, scheduled, Ad-Hoc, BI related, Dash-board etc….. rather than use 3-4 different report tools.
- Migrate to Supported Open Source (BIRT)
- Move logic to Queries in BIRT
- Groups to Grouped Reports not sub-Reports
- support for procedures
- We don’t migrate to a Technology tool that makes you create sub-reports for grouped report query
- We don’t migrate to Pure jspx pages which still need Oracle reports Services to run
- Keep it simple yet powerful
- Create a tool for Forms Developers where they could use their skills for migrating to newer technologies.
- Provide a tool with the highest power of migration
- Keep Business Logic intact
- Provide technology choices so customers can opt for newer alternatives
- Create a tool that can be customized easily if the situation demands of it
Now after this migration, customers can take the decision of moving away from Oracle Database if they so wish. They can opt for other databases that support PL/SQL compatibility like EnterpriseDb and DB2.